Dystopia
According to the dictionary, a dystopia is "a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding." Another definition of dystopia is, "an imaginary place where everything is as bad as it can be." Dystopian literature greatly differs from utopian literature, which is, "an ideal place or state." Veronica Roth said that she began writing the novel with a place that she would want to be in in mind. She said, "Divergent was my utopian world... And then I realized my utopia was a terrible place..." (25).
A dystopia can also be characterized as "a community or society, usually fictional, that is in some important way undesirable or frightening." One way to create a "frightening" community is to create an overbearing government. Divergent's government is "scary" in that, if one doesn't fit into a certain pre=approved category, he or she must remain factionless and in poverty for his or her entire life. In the world of Divergent, certain factions have certain roles and they act and dress a certain way. Abnegation wears gray, dull clothes and they aim to be as selfless as possible. The Amity faction dress in red and yellow clothing that is comfortable and they are known as the peaceful faction. The Dauntless wear black, tight-fitting clothing and they aim to be as brave as possible. Often the Dauntless end up seeking danger for danger's sake. Candor, a faction built on the ideals of honesty, dress in black and white because that is how they see the world. Erudite dresses, at least in small ways, in blue. Those in Erudite are known for being intelligent. Tris says, "Every faction conditions its members to think and act a certain way. And most people do it." These factions, though they were formed to rid their world of war, create walls between the people and create a society that is not unified. The Erudite hate the Abnegation, and most other factions dislike the Abnegation as well. The factions are not unified and they don't agree on ideals. This divide shows, in part, how Tris' society can be classified aa a dystopia.
A dystopia can also be characterized as "a community or society, usually fictional, that is in some important way undesirable or frightening." One way to create a "frightening" community is to create an overbearing government. Divergent's government is "scary" in that, if one doesn't fit into a certain pre=approved category, he or she must remain factionless and in poverty for his or her entire life. In the world of Divergent, certain factions have certain roles and they act and dress a certain way. Abnegation wears gray, dull clothes and they aim to be as selfless as possible. The Amity faction dress in red and yellow clothing that is comfortable and they are known as the peaceful faction. The Dauntless wear black, tight-fitting clothing and they aim to be as brave as possible. Often the Dauntless end up seeking danger for danger's sake. Candor, a faction built on the ideals of honesty, dress in black and white because that is how they see the world. Erudite dresses, at least in small ways, in blue. Those in Erudite are known for being intelligent. Tris says, "Every faction conditions its members to think and act a certain way. And most people do it." These factions, though they were formed to rid their world of war, create walls between the people and create a society that is not unified. The Erudite hate the Abnegation, and most other factions dislike the Abnegation as well. The factions are not unified and they don't agree on ideals. This divide shows, in part, how Tris' society can be classified aa a dystopia.